#2 Victorian university for psychology
Learn from experienced clinicians
Competency-based clinical training
Why choose psychology (clinical) at Deakin
Build advanced skills to support people experiencing mental health challenges through evidence-based psychological practice. The Master of Psychology (Clinical) prepares you for professional practice as a registered psychologist through advanced clinical training, research and placement experience. Accredited by the Australian Psychology Accreditation Council (APAC), the course provides the qualifications required to apply for general registration with the Psychology Board of Australia (PsyBA). This course also provides a pathway into the clinical registrar program to gain an area of practice endorsement with the PsyBA.
You will develop capabilities in clinical assessment, diagnosis, and psychological intervention of mental health conditions, grounded in ethical, culturally responsive, and evidence-based practice. Clinical placements provide opportunities to apply your skills with clients under supervision.
Through key partnerships across public and primary mental health settings, including Barwon Health, you will build professional experience and clinical confidence that support future endorsement pathways.
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Learn in a supportive learning environment
Benefit from strong support, quality learning resources and experienced clinical educators.
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Prepare for professional psychology practice
Build advanced capabilities in clinical assessment, intervention and evidence-based psychological practice through APAC-accredited clinical training.
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Develop clinical skills through extensive placement experience
Complete 1000 hours of clinical placement across a range of mental health settings, applying your skills in authentic clinical environments.
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Learn from experienced clinical educators
Strengthen your understanding of psychological assessment, diagnosis and intervention while working alongside experienced practitioners and clinical supervisors.
Connected to industry
Deakin’s strong industry connections help shape your learning. Build practical experience in real workplace contexts through work-integrated learning, mentoring and networking opportunities. Industry advisory boards also help shape our degrees, which means what you study is current, relevant and aligned to what your future employers need.
Deakin puts employability first
Career outcomes
Graduate eligible to apply for registration as a psychologist, with the option to continue into supervised practice towards area of practice endorsement in clinical psychology.
Clinical psychologist
Assess, diagnose and treat psychological and mental health conditions ranging from mild to severe and complex. Clinical psychologists develop evidence-based treatment plans and work with people across the lifespan.
- $123k
Typical annual salary in Australia
- 16.8%
Projected job growth in 5 years
Professional areas
- Clinical practice
- Research
- Teaching and supervision
- Program development and evaluation
- Public policy
- Mental health promotion
*Deakin references data from a range of government, higher education and reputable media sources. Learn more about our achievements on our University rankings page, or explore our sources page for supporting references.
What will I study in the Master of Psychology (Clinical)?
The Master of Psychology (Clinical) develops advanced clinical psychology capabilities through coursework, research and extensive placement experience. You will build expertise in ethical and culturally responsive psychological assessment, intervention and evidence-based practice while preparing for professional practice and general registration as a psychologist.
Build foundations in clinical psychology practice
Develop advanced clinical knowledge
Learn and apply models of psychopathology and ethical, legal and professional psychology practice principles. Build knowledge in clinical assessment, diagnosis and evidence-based practice.
Build intervention and assessment skills
Strengthen capabilities in psychological assessment and therapeutic intervention through applied learning such as simulated role plays and observations.
Begin clinical placement and research training
Undertake your first clinical placement while developing applied clinical research skills and commencing your research thesis.
Strengthen professional clinical practice
Advance clinical assessment and intervention capabilities
Develop more complex skills in psychological assessment, intervention and clinical health psychology across a range of presentations and settings.
Complete extensive clinical placement experience
Undertake advanced clinical placements and case analysis, applying evidence-based approaches with clients under professional supervision.
Complete an independent clinical research thesis
Design, conduct and communicate research that strengthens your ability to apply evidence within professional psychological practice.
Course structure
To complete the Master of Psychology (Clinical), you must pass 16 credit points. ;
Most units are equal to one credit point. As a full-time student you will study four credit points per trimester and usually undertake two trimesters per year.
Are you a current student? For course information that applies to the year you started your degree, visit the handbook.
All students are required to meet the University's academic progress and conduct requirements
Units
Year 1 - Trimester 1
Trimester 2
Year 2 - Trimester 1
Trimester 2
Professional recognition
The Master of Psychology (Clinical) is accredited by the Australian Psychology Accreditation Council (APAC).
It is a postgraduate program of study for the purpose of obtaining full registration as a psychologist with the Psychology Board of Australia (PsyBA),and to provide preparation for entry into a registrar program leading to an area of practice endorsement in clinical psychology with the PsyBA.
What to expect while studying
The Master of Psychology (Clinical) is a two year degree that is designed to enable completion of coursework, practical placement units and the research thesis within these two years. However, in some instances, students may require slightly longer to complete their placement or research thesis.
Under the regulations of the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law Act 2009, Master of Psychology students are required to be provisionally registered from the commencement of enrolment and for the duration of enrolment in their degree. This is a mandatory requirement. Students should apply online for provisional registration with the Psychology Board of Australia as soon as they have been accepted into the degree.
In accordance with the Department of Justice 2007, Working with Children Act 2005, amended 2017, all students are required to undertake a Working with Children Check at the commencement of their course. Students who fail to obtain a Police Record Check and a Working with Children Check prior to the commencement of clinical placement will not be able to undertake clinical placement and this will impede progress in the course.
In accordance with Department of Human Services policy, all students are required to undertake a Police Record Check prior to clinical placements in each calendar year of their course.
Students may also be required to declare their immunisation status to satisfy the requirements of health organisations where they will be undertaking their clinical learning experience. A health organisation may refuse to accept a student for placement if the student’s immunisation status is not satisfactory to the health organisation.
The Master of Psychology (Clinical) is a full-time course and as such, it requires a full-time commitment from students. Nevertheless, it is recognised that many students will need to work to support themselves for the duration of their study. Students are advised that working over and above 8 hours per week is likely to impact their progress through the course.
The Master of Psychology (Clinical) program is based at Deakin’s Melbourne Burwood Campus but includes a presence at Deakin’s Geelong Waterfront and Waurn Ponds Campuses in line with our commitment to regional training and workforce development.
Attendance requirements
Students can expect to participate in a range of learning activities each week; including a combination of self-paced study, lectures, seminars, placements and online interactions. The face-to-face coursework component is predominantly held at the Melbourne Burwood Campus in a purpose-built clinical teaching facility. Some teaching will be held in Geelong including full-day clinical teaching workshops while other aspects of the teaching and learning occurs in the online environment. As part of their placement program, trainees will engage in placements in key partnerships across Geelong/Barwon and metropolitan Melbourne as well as rural and regional placement opportunities.
Students are required to complete 3 compulsory clinical placements of 2-3 days per week for approximately 20-25 weeks. These placements include at least one placement in the Barwon region.
Placement can occur at any time, including during standard holiday breaks. Learn about key dates at Deakin.
Placement program
The clinical placements are designed to equip students with a range of professional skills and an awareness of professional issues. Students will benefit from Deakin’s key placement partnerships including Barwon Health and other organisations to ensure they gain experience of across child, adolescent and adult populations. The placement program will be determined jointly by the student, the placement coordinators, and the course leadership team. Each placement requires the full complement of days to be completed. Failure of any one placement may result in exclusion from the course.
At Deakin, we're committed to ensuring an inclusive environment that supports all students to belong, thrive and succeed. We work closely with students, where needed, to identify potential barriers to participation and where possible, provide tailored support so students can engage with learning and assessment activities.
If you are neurodivergent, have a disability, health condition or mental health condition that may impact your study or participation in university life, and want to know how Deakin could support you, contact our Domestic students (opens in a new window) or International students (opens in a new window) or Disability Resource Centre (opens email client) teams for a collaborative and confidential discussion. This discussion is to support you to make plans for your studies and future career and will not have any bearing on your application to the course.
When can I start?
When you study depends on your course, location and available intakes. Check the table to see when you can start and how study is offered throughout the year.
Your course learning outcomes describe the knowledge, skills and capabilities you’ll develop and be able to demonstrate by the time you graduate. Built into your course through your units and assessments, they provide a clear picture of what you’ll be equipped to know, understand and do – preparing you to apply your learning with confidence beyond university.
| Course Learning Outcomes |
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| Apply advanced psychological knowledge of aetiology, progression and recovery from psychopathology, and relevant taxonomies to culturally safe assessment and identification of psychological disorders, current functioning, and risk to self and others. Display advanced knowledge of psychological theories and scientific methods, including through appropriate application of culturally responsive and evidence-based clinical psychology assessment and treatment across the lifespan. |
| Communicate safely and effectively with clients, carers, and colleagues, including discussing risks and benefits of assessment and intervention, in a variety of settings in which clinical psychologists work, including health and medical settings. |
| Ethically use a range of digital technologies including research databases, eHealth, and artificial intelligence applications to support evidence-based clinical psychology practice, research, innovation and evaluation. |
| Critically evaluate, interpret and synthesise research findings with assessment data to inform formulation, diagnoses and treatment approaches for clients and apply these appropriately for the context. |
| Demonstrate and apply an understanding of outcome-based and evidence-based treatment and assessment approaches relevant to the practice of clinical psychology, including through collaborative goal setting and client feedback, and ongoing evaluation of symptom change and other therapeutic outcomes. |
| Proactively engage in reflection and supervision to identify strengths and areas for development, and the impact of culture, values, beliefs, biases and self-care practices on one’s own practice; develop and implement related goals to practise competently in line with clinical psychology practice standards, codes of ethical practice and relevant legal frameworks. |
| Operate effectively within intra- and inter-disciplinary teams, respecting diverse cultural perspectives, skills and contributions, and practising within the boundaries of professional and cultural competence across a range of settings in which clinical psychologists operate. |
| Practise clinical psychology ethically and legally, in culturally informed trauma-aware, and neuro-affirming ways. Apply knowledge of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islands peoples’ psychology frameworks and demonstrate a commitment to decolonising clinical psychology practice. |
- Award granted
- Master of Psychology (Clinical)
- Year
2027 course information
- Deakin code
- H750
- CRICOS code?Commonwealth Register of Institutions and Courses for Overseas Students
- 060023G Burwood (Melbourne), Waterfront (Geelong)
- Level
- Higher Degree Coursework (Masters and Doctorates)
- Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) recognition
The award conferred upon completion is recognised in the Australian Qualifications Framework at Level 9
Fees
Estimated tuition fee
$47,200
for 1 yr full-time AUD
The estimated tuition fee above is based on a typical first-year full-time enrolment of 8 credit points and is provided as a guide only. Your tuition fees are determined by your course and unit enrolment. Your tuition fees will vary depending on your study load, the course duration, and any approved recognition of prior learning.
Save 10% as a Deakin alumni
We love welcoming Deakin alumni back to continue their journey with us. If you're starting a postgraduate award course, you may be eligible for a 10% discount on your enrolment fees, applied per unit. It's our way of supporting your next step.
Scholarships
Deakin scholarships recognise your hard work and achievements. Our support can ease the financial pressure of studying in Australia so you stay focused on your success. Numbers are limited, so apply early for the best chance.
Apply now
Apply direct to Deakin
Applications must be made directly to the University through StudyLink Connect - Deakin University's International Student Application Service.
For information on the application process and closing dates, see checklist (PDF, 182.1 KB). Please note that closing dates may vary for individual courses.
Recognition of prior learning
We value your previous study and experience. Recognition of prior learning enables you to get credit for what you've already achieved. When you apply, we'll consider your previous study and experience for recognition of prior learning.